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    Catcher in The Rye - Study Pack

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    haydnlucawhyte
    The document provides background information on J.D. Salinger's novel The Catcher in the Rye, including a fact file on the protagonist Holden Caulfield, notes on the social, historical and cultural context of the time period in which the story is set, themes and quotes from the novel, how other characters view Holden, features of Holden's language, effects of events on Holden's mental state, potential topics for essays, and suggested activities for studying the book.

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    Catcher in The Rye - Study Pack

    Uploaded by

    haydnlucawhyte
    53 views8 pages
    The document provides background information on J.D. Salinger's novel The Catcher in the Rye, including a fact file on the protagonist Holden Caulfield, notes on the social, historical and cultural context of the time period in which the story is set, themes and quotes from the novel, how other characters view Holden, features of Holden's language, effects of events on Holden's mental state, potential topics for essays, and suggested activities for studying the book.

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    Catcher in the Rye - study pack

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    The document provides background information on J.D. Salinger's novel The Catcher in the Rye, including a fact file on the protagonist Holden Caulfield, notes on the social, historical and cultural context of the time period in which the story is set, themes and quotes from the novel, how other characters view Holden, features of Holden's language, effects of events on Holden's mental state, potential topics for essays, and suggested activities for studying the book.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as DOC, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as doc, pdf, or txt
    53 views8 pages

    Catcher in The Rye - Study Pack

    Uploaded by

    haydnlucawhyte
    The document provides background information on J.D. Salinger's novel The Catcher in the Rye, including a fact file on the protagonist Holden Caulfield, notes on the social, historical and cultural context of the time period in which the story is set, themes and quotes from the novel, how other characters view Holden, features of Holden's language, effects of events on Holden's mental state, potential topics for essays, and suggested activities for studying the book.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as DOC, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as doc, pdf, or txt
    of 8

    The Catcher in the Rye by J D Salinger

    Create a Holden Caulfield Factfile

    Name: Holden Caulfield


    Age: 16 at time of novel
    Parents: Mr & Mrs Caulfield

    Brothers/Sisters: D.B, Allie (Deceased)

    Educational Highscool dropout


    Background:

    Key Features of: Turbulent, Volatile, Protective

    Likes: Reading, Smoking

    Dislikes:

    © 2006 www.teachit.co.uk 713426358.doc Page 1 of 8


    The Catcher in the Rye by J D Salinger

    Social, Historical and Cultural Context

    Social Context The society in which the novel takes place and how it influenced the
    characters’ lives.
    Historical Context: What historical events took place during the time when the novel is set and
    how they influenced the characters’ lives.
    Cultural Context: What major cultural movements were happening at the time the novel is
    set and how they influenced the characters’ lives.

    Important Points

     The book is set just after the Second World War in America. It was published in serial form
    between 1945 and 1946.

     America was becoming a much more materialistic society.

     Americans believed (as many still do) that they lived in the greatest country in the world.

     Many Americans were very conservative and mistrusted anything that was different, so there
    was a great pressure for everyone to conform and behave like everyone else.

     Many Americans mistrusted anyone who didn’t believe America was the greatest country.

     The Cold War with Russia had begun and people were increasingly afraid of Communism.

     Before the 1950s teenagers had no distinct identity but generally obeyed their parents.

     In the 1950s teenagers began to form their own individual identity and speak up about their
    views, even if they clashed with society or their parents. This was known as ‘the rise of the
    teenager’.

     The 1950s saw rebellious teens portrayed in films such as James Dean in ‘Rebel Without a
    Cause’ or Marlon Brando in ‘The Wild One.’ Rock ‘n’ roll also came into fashion.

     Culture was influenced by new inventions like the hula-hoop (not the crisps), the photocopier
    and other things we now take for granted.

    © 2006 www.teachit.co.uk 713426358.doc Page 2 of 8


    The Catcher in the Rye by J D Salinger

     Themes & Quotes


    Theme Quotes

    Holden seeing world as phoney

    Failure to connect

    Innocence

    Holden’s view of sex

    Depression

    Holden’s view of Allie

    Holden’s view of Allie’s death

    Holden’s view of Phoebe

    Holden’s lies

    Holden’s fantasy world

    Holden contradicting himself

    Holden as an outsider

    Holden’s view of Jane

    Holden losing control of his actions

    Holden being immature

    Holden not wanting things to change

    Holden being impulsive

    © 2006 www.teachit.co.uk 713426358.doc Page 3 of 8


    The Catcher in the Rye by J D Salinger

    How others see Holden


    Relationship to
    Name View of Holden
    Holden

    Mr Spencer

    Mrs Morrow

    Stradlater

    Ackley

    Phoebe

    Sally

    Carl

    Faith Cavendish

    Maurice

    The prostitute

    Carl

    Jane’s Mum

    Mr Antolini

    Taxi Driver 1

    Taxi Driver 2

    Girls in the
    Lavender Room
    Barman in the
    Lavender Room

    © 2006 www.teachit.co.uk 713426358.doc Page 4 of 8


    The Catcher in the Rye by J D Salinger

    The language of The Catcher in the Rye


    Features of spoken language Examples found
    Use of slang

    Use of a looser sentence style ‘What I have to do, I have to …’

    Use of repetition

    Use of demonstrative adjectives ‘these little kids’

    Use of informal connectives and filler ‘Anyway, I mean’


    words

    © 2006 www.teachit.co.uk 713426358.doc Page 5 of 8


    The Catcher in the Rye by J D Salinger

    Mental instability
    Event Effect on Holden How can you tell?
    Death of Allie

    Disliking parents

    Attending several different


    private schools

    Being alone in New York


    City

    © 2006 www.teachit.co.uk 713426358.doc Page 6 of 8


    The Catcher in the Rye by J D Salinger

    Holden’s Guide to Life

    In your books create a Guide to Life written from the point of view of Holden, to tell people about
    his thoughts on life.

    Things you should mention:


     Views on being phoney

     Views on parents

     Views on children

     Views on life in the city

     Views on how to treat others

     Views on private schools

     Views on love

     Views on sex

     Views on making things up

     Views on the movies

     Views on his brother

    Psychiatrist’s Report on Holden


    Imagine you are a doctor seeing Holden in hospital at the beginning of the book. Write a report on
    the patient’s general medical condition and how he has been affected by the following:

     The death of his brother

     Being sent to various different schools

     Not getting on with his parents

     Being unable to become an adult

     Being alone in New York City

    © 2006 www.teachit.co.uk 713426358.doc Page 7 of 8


    The Catcher in the Rye by J D Salinger

    Essay Titles:
    1. Why does Holden leave Pencey Prep?
    2. How does New York affect Holden’s mental condition?
    3. How does Salinger make Holden into a believable character?
    4. Comment on how Holden sees life.
    5. What do you think are the reasons for Holden’s breakdown?
    6. What does the novel tell us about school?
    7. How does Holden’s way of telling his story affect our response?
    8. Holden tries hard to act ‘grown up’ in the novel. Does he succeed?
    9. Why is Jane Gallagher an important character in the novel?
    10. Do you think Phoebe helps Holden to face his parents?
    11. Why can’t Holden fit in, whether in school or in New York?
    12. Do you sympathise with Holden?
    13. ‘All Holden’s experiences with the opposite sex are negative.’ Do you agree?
    14. Why is Phoebe an important character in the novel?
    15. Does Holden change at all during the course of the novel?
    16. How does Holden see the adult characters in the novel?
    17. How does Salinger present the problems of teenagers?
    18. ‘Holden doesn’t really know himself at all.’ Do you agree?
    19. How does Allie’s death affect Holden?

    © 2006 www.teachit.co.uk 713426358.doc Page 8 of 8

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